Both speed and comfort are important considerations in the design of a skate wheel. To increase speed, the wheel, including an elastomeric tire secured around a hub assembly, should be designed to reduce rolling resistance. That is, the distortion of the elastomeric tire during skating should be lessened to reduce the surface contact between the tire and the ground, thereby reducing friction between the tire and the ground and increasing speed.
Prior attempts to reduce rolling resistance involved varying the diameter of the hub assembly of the wheel or providing an annular flange protruding perpendicularly from the hub assembly of the wheel into the tire interior. However, these attempts created a major drawback. The narrow profile of the annular flange limits its effectiveness in supporting the tire to reduce rolling resistance. Therefore, to support the tire more effectively, the diameter of the annular flange is greatly increased. However, the great increase in the diameter of the annular flange also causes a reduction in the rebound characteristics of the tire, making the wheel harsh to skate on with insufficient shock absorption. Either speed or comfort had to be sacrificed.
Thus, there exists a need for a skate wheel that reduces rolling resistance to increase speed, while maintaining the smoothness and comfort of the skating experience.